A Couple of Questions...

1) I will assume going to the movies,and other loud events,will require some type of protection from now on to avoid further damage. My question is, would ear plugs work well? and is there any specific type/brand that seem to be most effective and comfortable? I still want to hear what i'm going to see,while cutting down on the volume.

2) Airline travel...has anyone had issues with their T. after flying? I ask because my family and I are planning to go to Florida this fall,and I admit to being a bit concerned now,if this doesn't settle down,as to what the air pressure change might do to my T.

 

LOL! No one has any imput?

 

1. For loud events: earplugs! You can start with inexpensive foamies from the drugstore ( there are even ones with 37 SNR so quite good ) but for the long run invest in some good musician ear plugs with various filters or even better, customized ear plugs. those are pricey but worth it. @Markku has posted links to good ones many times before. Please still be careful with extremely loud places like clubs or concerts... they tend to be over the top and dangerously loud even with ear plugs.

2. airplanes : I didn't have pressure problems, but I take regular ear plugs and noise canceling headphones with me (Bose) and try to sit as far at the front as possible. For pressure issues "earplanes" ear plugs are the best, you can get them in many pharmacies or online.
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B001HTWL8C/?tag=tinntalk-20

 

@mikey13 13 weeks in, and will be flying in three weeks time, and i'm absolutely pooing myself at the thought of it ... i have to do it though, i will wear plugs and ear phones, don't really care what i look like, i have to do what's best for my broken ears!!!

 

Hey Mikey, tons has been written about both of these topics already on the board. Here are two threads:

Flying: https://www.tinnitustalk.com/threads/flying-tinnitus.1001/page-2#post-21420

FYI: I flew recently and was scared witless, given I got tinnitus through barotrauma on a long flight. Robert Fahey, on this thread, gives a great piece of advice that I followed: Keep your mouth WIDE open during the descent, as it forces open your eustachian tubes. Yeah, you look pretty silly. You can explain what is happening to the person sitting next to you or not.

Also: I went to the ENT a week before my flight and had both my E.tube function and my sinuses checked, to make sure I didn't have a hidden infection. I then dried my head out completely with Sudafed (decongestant) beginning 36 hours in advance, and used Afrin nasal spray about 30 minutes before take off and again as descent began. And: I used Earplanes plugs, as someone else here suggested. Follow the directions on the box; read them in advance. You take the Earplanes out when you reach cruising altitude and then can pop in foam plugs or use noise cancelling headphones to cut the noise from the plane. Put the plugs back in about 30 minutes/one hour before descent (again, follow directions on the box) and do not take them out until the plane lands, is at the gate and the cabin door is opened, which is when the plane will completely equalize. Don't freak out if your ears hurt while the Earplanes are in... they are just a little uncomfortable.

By the way: The above routine might be a little more than you need if you are not pressure sensitive, as I am. But I will tell you it worked for me.

Earplugs. There are a lot of threads that discuss earplugs. Here is just one of many: https://www.tinnitustalk.com/threads/to-those-who-avoid-clubs-concerts.2664/

You are new to tinnitus, so I dont know if you need to go the custom earplug route yet, since your T may go away. But it might be worth the investment anyway, if you are going to be in noisy environments and need ear protection. Custom plugs are the way to go (they can run a few hundred dollars). Like a lot of people here, I prefer Etymotic. http://www.etymotic.com/ But there are many good brands. You need to have custom plugs fitted by an audiologist. I got the "musicians plugs" that have interchangeable filters, so you can somewhat carry on a conversation when you have them in if its not too noisy.

Good luck!

 

Earplanes #23 and I would suggest Downbeats #28. I was going to suggest ER25 musician earplugs but they are quite expensive.
http://www.amazon.com/Best-Sellers-Health-Personal-Care-Earplugs/zgbs/hpc/3779871#2

 

I just have a pair of flesh colored foam earplugs in my pocket.

I flew about five weeks after acoustic trauma, and my tinnitus was unaffected. I always wear earplugs when flying - even before T - because it helps me avoid the "popped" eardrum feeling.

Good luck